Long time readers are familiar with the school for aspiring comic creators that I started up called the “comic book bootcamp” (found on your internet dial at www.comicbookbootcamp.com see how easy that was?). Every year, we publish an annual comic book anthology featuring new stories and art from the minds and pencils of our Bootcamp Alumni, all starring the daring, dashing and sexy great grand-children of the Master Detective himself, Sherlock Holmes. The family business (Holmes Incorporated) has been a thriving concern in England for more than a century, but in comic form, we’re up to the FOURTH big annual, and it’s coming out TOMORROW (barring unforeseen circumstances or a Moriarty plot).

The three previous issues from yester-year are available to read online for FREE here.

But this year the goodness was too much to contain in just one single bursting-at-the-seams magazine so we split the anthology up into TWO smashingly good issues. Come on down to the FanExpo convention and pick up your own copy of issue 4a or 4b, and meet the creators, see what all the fuss is about, and who knows…maybe next year, you’ll be contributing to the book yourself. Holmes Incorporated has already launched two or three spin-off books(done by the individual creators) and is destined to turn into a publishing empire that will topple Marvel and Disney.

To get your appetite all a-whetted, today, you’re getting page one from the five blockbuster epics that appear in issue #A and tomorrow you’ll get the five splash pages from the thrill-a-minute classics that make up issue #B (as well as that issue’s delightfully active Holmes Inc. Cover!)

Who says this isn’t the Bootcamp Age of Comics? I want to know, so I can fight them bare-knuckled.

Kathleen Gallagher and Christopher Yao team up to give us a ripping good yarn about British skullduggery and deadly vegetation in “IT AIN’T EASY BEING GREEN”. Get the issue and claim you were following their careers before fame and fortune hits them like a Sharknado.

Artist B.C. Holmes (no relation) knocks it out of the park in her first contribution to the world of Holmes Incorporated. We suspect she was inspired by the phenomenal script by Tuhin Giri. I promise you, this story will break your heart.

Another first time contributor, Matthew Tavares, turns in a moody masterpiece of comic art with “Here Comes the Son”. The Hitchcockian script by returning champion Daniel Reynolds is a nail biter, right to the last page! Thank god I’m wearing gloves!

Kevin “Silk Cuts” Goropse gives us a rocket-ride sequel to the lead story in Holmes Inc. #3. You like Monsters? You like swordfights? You like brilliant deductions and iambic pentameter? (and who doesn’t?) Then this is the tale for you! Jason Roussel joins the team this year with his first story in print! And what a debut!

The team that brought us “Til Death” switches creative hats for this tremendous tale of political intrigue and post-colonial CSI fun. This time out, B. C. Holmes provides the thoughtful and engaging script, and Tuhin Giri tells our gripping visual story. We don’t let ‘em leave the Bootcamp until they can do it all!

TOMORROW, you’ll get ANOTHER five stories to preview, and another spiffy cover to marvel at. And if you’re geographically lucky enough to live in the best city in the WORLD, come on down to FaneXpo and pick up your own copies!

Ty the Guy OUT!

Here’s your BONUS Holmes Incoporated Moment:

For fans of Christopher Yao, he has his OWN collection of Holmes Incorporated stories. As our star artist, it makes sense. We’ll have copies of this issue at our booth as well, and if we don’t, we can point you to where you can find some.

Obviously, it’s a take off on Scott McCloud’s 24 Hour Comic Day, which was back on October 20. At the time, we were still getting our workshop space organised, and I think it was the weekend between a couple of comic conventions…all in all, everyone we knew said they were too busy to think of participating.

So, we decided to wait until now, and run one as a way to jump start everyone’s creativity for the year. For those who have always wanted to do a comic book but have been putting it off–jump in feet first and just do it! For some of my students who have been working hard on their skills for the last year, this is a chance to show them off and give them a good workout.

All of Comic Book Embassy will be there participating in the Challenge. Keiren and I will be there as hosts, although I’m thinking that eventually I’ll feel like I have to pick up a pencil and do some drawing myself. Might end doing a bit of live Bun-Tooning during the night.

The participants’ list is now closed, but we’re hoping that if you’re in the neighbourhood, you’ll drop by to say hello, check out the various creators and see how they’re doing with this completely arbitrary and self-imposed schedule! 24 pages in 24 hours! Can they do it? Come down to 587A College Street West, Second Floor, Toronto, Saturday January 5 10:00am to Sunday January 6 10:00 am, and find out!

And…no, we’re not yet doing a Digital Coloring course, but we DO have a One-Day Workshop RENDERING WITH MARKERS, in which animator/illustrator/webcomic artist Meg Kearney will teach you how to use copics and other markers to colour your comics/pinups. You’ll learn to choose colours, to mix them, how to layer them and more. The information on that course is also over at Comic Book Bootcamp.You can pay at the class, but we do need to know if you’re planning to attend so the instructor will have enough sets of markers for each participant.

This illustration was drawn and coloured by instructor Meg Kearney, using copics.

As far as I know, Wonder Woman and Superman are actually making noogie nowadays, so you can’t keep up.

Remember, it’s only 13 days before the Mayan calendar runs out, so it’s not as if any of this matters after two weeks, anyway…

Ty the Guy OUT!

Here now, your BONUS moments. Arguably the two most NEGATIVE moments in the history of the Fantastic Four…

From the much loved “FRED AND BARNEY MEET THE THING” series of the early 80s. Benjy Grimm is a teenager with a magic ring, who fought crime and stopped trains on Saturday morning, while sharing the hour with the Flintstones (although they never actually met during the show).

From the Roger Corman FF feature film. This is about as negative as you get.

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AND! If you’re in the GTA (or even as far afield as Barrie or Hamilton or Burlington or St. Catherines–yes, I’ve had students come in for classes from those cities. I swear to you–the classes are THAT GOOD!), we’ve got TWO classes starting up in January. Check out the information on the COMIC BOOK BOOTCAMP website

AND! We’re offering a One-Day/Night Workshop on RENDERING WITH MARKERS. Thursday December 13 7-10pm OR Saturday December 15 1-4pm. Price includes THREE Copics markers for you to take home. Info on the COMIC BOOK BOOTCAMP site or click the lovely image below (done by Instructor Megan Kearney in Copics)

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For last week’s Toon, Bun Toon…click on the words “James Bond”.

For every Bun Toon ever (and yes, the archives have been updated!) click the very positive bunny above.

The artists will be available to do sketches, sign books or do sketches on the large collection of sketchcovers that The Lounge has in stock. Some will have their own prints available for sale as well.

Batman #0 sketch cover by Ty Templeton. There are blank sketch covers available for sale at The Lounge today.

The event is running 12-9pm, so stop by! (If you have any questions about upcoming classes at Comic Book Bootcamp, Ty can answer ‘em, and will have fliers available.)

It’s Monday morning and we’re starting one of the busiest weeks we’ll be having this year!

Monday September 10 (TODAY!!), Ty is appearing on CHCH TV’sMorning Live show. Starting at 9am, he’ll be on for the whole hour drawing away and answering questions (although not on camera the whole time!). Channel 11, I believe.

Later this afternoon, Ty and I will head downtown to The Comics Embassy which houses COMIC BOOK BOOTCAMP to set up the tables, put the white board up, and generally make sure that everything is good to go for…

Tuesday September 11, when Ty teaches the first class ever in his brand new space at 392 Spadina Avenue, in downtown Toronto–WRITING FOR COMICS (Part One). There is one spot left, if you want to email us for a last-minute registration (comicbookbootcamp AT gmail DOT com). Class starts at 7pm, and Ty is soooooo looking forward to this!!

Thursday September 13, our youngest son turns 13! Sean has an awkward birthday as it’s just after the start of school each year, and the day before we leave for a weekend. But 13! He’s turning 13 on the 13th! He’s been counting down to this for months! We’ll have the family over for a birthday dinner and there will be cake!

My youngest son

Friday September 14, crack of dawn, me, Ty and two or three of our kids will pile into the car (might send one of the kids with their older brother and my daughter-in-law) and drive to Montreal where Ty will be appearing at the MONTREAL COMIC CONall weekend.

Our oldest son will be working (informally) at the show (my daughter-in-law and teenaged son will be there over the weekend, volunteering). And we’re looking forward to seeing our friends from HEROES OF THE NORTH again. They’ll be there all weekend, with different cast members of their webseries making appearances each day. (Ty wrote a 12 pge story for them recently–the artist, Daniel Wong, will be at the con all weekend as a member of the SPENT PENCILS STUDIO.)

Friday, the con runs 4-9pm. After we’ll be at a barbecue with other comics creators–Ty is looking forward to seeing old friends and meeting creators we haven’t met before.

Saturday September 15, Ty will be at the MONTREAL COMIC CON 10am-7pm. After the show will be THE JOE SHUSTER AWARDS, AT 7:30PM. I always love to go to the show and watch Canadian creators get some well-deserved love, but I have a vested interest this year–Ty has been nominated in the WEBCOMICS CREATOR category for BUN TOONS.

After, we’ll be off to the post-awards party to celebrate all the winners, and to get a chance to talk to everyone.

Sunday September 16 will be the last day of the MONTREAL COMIC CON, 10am-5pm. Last chance for sketches, signatures and for Ty to tell stories! Then, it’ll be back to our sister-in-law’s home for a chance to have a family dinner with her, our youngest kids and our nephew and nieces.

Monday September 17, we’ll all pile back in the car for an early-morning drive back to Toronto. (Probably with me driving–Ty will probably still be asleep).

And, through all of this–Ty is working on Marvel Ultimate Spider-Man Adventures! Pencilling and inking and plotting!